Digital BW, The Print

At 8:09 PM +0000 4/9/07, jnhugo wrote:
Hi, I need some clarification on mode changing from 8 bit to 16 bit.
It's my understanding that unless the file originated as a 16 bit file
there is no advantage to change an 8 bit (or whatever) to 16. No net
gain. Is that right? In a specialized photoshop class there is
instructions to convert an 8 bit file to 16 but as I recall there is
not an advantage. Can anyone clarify? Thanks in advance.
Jack


As others have mentioned, if you are making some corrections to your image,
it may behoove you to go to 16-bit. If you are using Shadow/Highlight in
Photoshop, going to 16 for that tool (and eventually back to 8) has been
found to create an advantage by no less an authority than Dan Margulis,
author of *Professional Photoshop.* I also like it for subtle Curves moves,
but no, I have not done a side-by-side print comparison.

Please note that most of Margulis's expertise deals with color images bound
for a CMYK color space and commercial (offset) printing. But his work is
not confined to that situation, nor relevant only to that situation.

As CD Tobie mentions, capture in 16-bit in the first place gives you more
advantages than capture in 8-bit and upsizing to 16.
-- 

jonathan wills
_______
wills design
portland, oregon, usa